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How to Tame Bad Breath

Hydration, Brushing and Gum-Chewing Beat Odor-Causing Bacteria

What really causes bad breath, what can you do to prevent it and can you tell if you have it? WSJ's Heidi Mitchell joins Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero with the answers. Photo: Getty

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Heidi Mitchell

Sept. 22, 2014 5:07 p.m. ET

Everyone has a case of halitosis now and then. For some people, the condition can be chronic—and antisocial. Matthew Messina, a dentist in Cleveland, Ohio, and a spokesman for the American Dental Association, explains what is really behind bad breath and why a glass of red wine may lead to dragon breath.